Bert and Ernie really are just friends, but there are plenty of other secrets about the inspiration for some of the characters on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

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Even though we all grew up watching the Muppets, most people have no idea that Cookie Monster got his start in a 1967 IBM training video, Miss Piggy was driven to the beauty pageant circuit by a rough childhood in Iowa, or that when in Pakistan, Oscar the Grouch lives in an oil barrel. [Mental Floss]